How to Prepare Your Manuscript for Formatting
Complete guide to preparing your manuscript file for professional book formatting - ensure a smooth process and faster turnaround.
Properly preparing your manuscript before submitting it for formatting saves time, reduces revisions, and ensures the best possible result. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get your manuscript ready for professional formatting.
1File Format Requirements
We accept several file formats, but some work better than others for formatting.
Use Microsoft Word (.docx) - Preferred
Word documents give us the most flexibility and best results. Save as .docx (not .doc)
Google Docs - Also Great
Export as .docx from Google Docs (File > Download > Microsoft Word)
Avoid PDFs When Possible
PDFs are harder to format. Only send PDFs if that's all you have.
💡 Pro Tips
- Save your file with a clear name: "BookTitle_Manuscript.docx"
- Keep a backup copy before submitting
- Make sure all your edits are final before submitting
2Manuscript Structure Checklist
Your manuscript should include these elements in this order:
Front Matter
Title page, copyright page, dedication (optional), table of contents (we'll create this), foreword/preface (optional)
Body Content
All your chapters in order, with clear chapter headings
Back Matter
About the author, acknowledgments, other books, etc.
💡 Pro Tips
- Clearly mark where each section starts
- Use "Chapter 1", "Chapter 2" etc. as headings
- Include all content you want in the final book
3Formatting Your Manuscript File
Keep your manuscript simple and clean. We'll handle all the fancy formatting.
💡 Pro Tips
- Use a single, readable font (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri)
- Use 12pt font size
- Double-space your text (makes it easier to read)
- Use paragraph breaks between paragraphs
- Mark scene breaks clearly (*** or ###)
⚠️ Important
- Don't manually add page numbers - we'll add these
- Don't use multiple fonts or colors - keep it simple
- Don't add headers/footers - we'll create these
- Don't try to format it like a book - just focus on content
4Chapter Headings
How you format chapter headings in your manuscript helps us understand your structure.
Use Consistent Heading Style
If Chapter 1 is "Chapter One", keep that style throughout
Include Chapter Titles (Optional)
Example: "Chapter 1: The Beginning" or just "Chapter 1"
Mark Prologue/Epilogue Clearly
Label these sections clearly so we format them correctly
5Images and Graphics
If your book includes images, follow these guidelines:
High Resolution Required
Images should be at least 300 DPI for print books
Indicate Placement
In your manuscript, write [INSERT IMAGE 1 HERE] where each image should go
Send Images Separately
Upload images as separate files (JPG or PNG) with clear names: "Image1.jpg", "Image2.jpg"
Include Captions
If images need captions, include them in your manuscript below the image placeholder
⚠️ Important
- Low-resolution images will look blurry in print
- Images from the internet are often too low quality
- Color images significantly increase printing costs
6Special Elements
If your book includes special formatting elements, let us know:
💡 Pro Tips
- Tables or charts - keep them simple in your manuscript
- Quotes or excerpts - mark these clearly
- Poetry or lyrics - preserve line breaks
- Footnotes or endnotes - use Word's footnote feature
- Bullet points or numbered lists - use Word's list feature
- Text messages or emails - mark these clearly for special formatting
7Final Checklist Before Submitting
Review this checklist before sending your manuscript:
Proofread Everything
Check for typos, grammar errors, and missing content
Verify All Chapters Are Included
Make sure nothing is missing
Check Front and Back Matter
Ensure copyright info, dedication, about author, etc. are all there
Remove Track Changes and Comments
Accept all changes and delete all comments in Word
Save Final Version
Save with a clear filename and keep a backup
8Common Mistakes to Avoid
These are the most common issues we see that cause delays:
⚠️ Important
- Submitting a rough draft instead of final version
- Missing chapters or sections
- Inconsistent chapter numbering
- Low-quality images
- Multiple versions of the same file (confusing!)
- Incomplete copyright information
- Missing author bio
- Forgetting to include dedication or acknowledgments
Taking the time to properly prepare your manuscript makes the formatting process faster and smoother. If you have any questions about preparing your file, don't hesitate to contact us at info@hmdpublishing.com before submitting. We're here to help!
Need Help with Your Book Formatting?
Our team is here to help you every step of the way.
Contact Support